Action Quote by Ayn Rand
![“[T]he only real moral crime that one man can commit against another is the attempt to create, by his words or actions, an impression of the contradictory, the impossible, the irrational, and thus shake the concept of rationality in his victim.” quote by Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/93b/ayn-rand-59_action_t-he-only-real-moral-crime-that-one-man_2820871.jpg)
“[T]he only real moral crime that one man can commit against another is the attempt to create, by his words or actions, an impression of the contradictory, the impossible, the irrational, and thus shake the concept of rationality in his victim.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Virtue of Self‑Interest, 1965
Distorting reality through contradictory claims attacks rationality, constituting a moral wrongdoing against others.
In simple terms: Lying undermines rationality and is immoral.
Key Takeaway
Uphold truth and rational discourse.
Themes
ethics
logic
rationality
Mood
critical
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- debate
- education
- political rhetoric
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
truthfulness
Questions to Reflect On
- What is the impact of falsehoods on society?
- How can you protect rational discourse?
A Different Perspective
Some argue intent matters more than content.
![“There is no vice, of which a man can be guilty, no meanness, no shabbiness, no unkindness, which excited so much indignation among his contemporaries, friends and neighbors, as his success. This is the one unpardonable crime, which reason cannot defend, nor [can] humility mitigate.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dfe/arthur-schopenhauer-226_crime_there-is-no-vice-of-which-a-man-can-be-g_1328733.jpg)
![“This man, although he may not have actually committed the crime attributed to him, is nevertheless morally culpable, because he is the enemy of our existing institutions. [Case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti 1916-1927]” quote by Judge Webster Thayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8fe/judge-webster-thayer-250866_crime_this-man-although-he-may-not-have-actual_375068.jpg)
